Slashing of power tariff by 50 per cent and abolishing the toll will be among main issues the BJP-led NDA in Maharashtra will be highlighting in forthcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections even as it today set up a panel of its constituent parties to thrash out a seat-sharing agreement.
The alliance will also organise a morcha at Azad Maidan in South Mumbai on February 25 on these issues and hold a rally at Ichalkaranji in western Maharashtra on January 30.
"Toll free Maharashtra and 50 per cent reduction in power tariff will be some of the issues the alliance would highlight in elections," senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde said.
He was speaking to reporters after the leaders of Shiv Sena, BJP and their allies RPI (A), Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghtana (SSS), and Rashtriya Samaj Party (RSP) met here to discuss the strategy for upcoming polls.
Prominent among those present at the meeting were Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, RPI leader Ramdas Athavale, SSS chief Raju Shetty, RSP leader Mahadev Jankar, besides Munde.
Munde and Uddhav said the saffron combine with their allies have decided to come together to overthrow the Congress-NCP government in the state.
"A committee of Uddhav, Athavale, Shetty, Jankar and myself has been set up to discuss the seat-sharing arrangement," Munde said, adding the new entrants to the NDA fold will not be "let down".
Meanwhile, to a query on allotting a Rajya Sabha seat to Athavale, Uddhav said the decision would be taken at "appropriate time".
The agitations against collection of road tax by private companies manning toll booths turned strident of late with suspected members of MNS and Shiv Sena allegedly ransacking and burning down toll booths in western Maharashtra town of Kolhapur.
After the Delhi government led by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) announced subsidised power tariff, Congress MPs Sanjay Nirupam and Priya Dutt too are raising the demand for cut in electricity rates in Mumbai and suburbs.
